Natural tourism drawcard threatened - Alan Midwood

Jul 14, 2006

" I have spent a lifetime attempting ( with some success ) to turn the dreams of architects and engineers into viable projects.

The main reason I am opposed to a Cruise Terminal on The Spit is the damaging effect it will have on the image of Surfers Paradise. The biggest complaint we already have from potential visitors , especially from overseas,is that it is a concrete jungle and reminds them of horrible places like Miami and the Spanish Costas. The Spit is our only opportunity to combat that criticism, and then only by spending money on it to transform it into an attractive natural experience, free from built structures.

As we build more and higher tower blocks in Surfers Paradise, the need to retain The Spit as a natural escape becomes even more urgent. To overwhelm it with all the infrastructure needed to support a Shipping Wharf ( let's call a spade a spade ) will cause irreversible harm to our attraction as a tourist destination.

My secondary reason for opposing it is that there will be NO COMMERCIAL BENEFIT to the businesses in Surfers Paradise and the wider Gold Coast City. I have come to this conclusion after studying the activities of cruise ships and their passengers in many parts of the world.

Ships invariably arrive in the early morning and depart in the late
evening of the same day. There is an extremely busy period around arrival time when the coaches line up to transport passengers on half day or whole day tours of the region. Other half day tours depart after lunch to cater for the passengers' desire to get their money's worth from the three meals a day they are entitled to on board. Passengers not taking coach tours either stay on board to soak up the sunshine, or wander into town on one of the shuttle buses. But the Gold Coast restaurants should not expect to pick up much business as they will be back to the ship for the next meal. Their major purchases ashore will be
postcards, stamps and souvenirs.

Is that worth sacrificing our natural tourism drawcard for ?

Suggestions that thousands of extra visitors will stay overnight to join the ship are completely unrealistic. Most passengers will join the ship in a major port like Sydney. Any passengers joining or leaving at Gold Coast will fly in or out during the day through Brisbane or Gold Coast airports. All we will gain is extra traffic congestion.

Finally there is the killer blow to any commercial viability in that we
will have to share the potential cruise ship visits with the already
constructed Brisbane Cruise Ship Terminal. Why don't we just use that, and encourage passengers to visit Gold Coast on one of their coach tours, and enjoy a visit to an improved natural experience at The Spit to temper their impressions of our concrete jungle?"